Category Archives: Movie Review

Fast Times at Ridgemont High or: The Less Desirables Movie of the Week

24 Saturday Jun 2017

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a/perture cinema, the Official Movie Sponsor of The Less Desirables, presents The Less Desirables Movie of the Week, Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), starring Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold and Phoebe Cates.

Fast_Times_at_Ridgemont_High_film_poster

©Universal Pictures

Per IMDb: : “A group of Southern California high school students are enjoying their most important subjects: sex, drugs and rock n’ roll.”

Brad Hamilton (Reinhold) is looking to get out of high school on top. He’s popular and a senior. But, he’s not really enjoying his time with his girlfriend and a dipstick customer costs him his job at the local All-American Burger. He gets another job at Captain Hook Fish & Chips but, after realizing it was humiliating as all get out to deliver food in that costume, he quits that. So, why not go home and relax instead? He’s on top of the world right?

Brad’s sister, Stacy (Leigh) is also popular and works at the mall in a pizza parlor. She gets dates with older guys by lying about her age. She’s pushed by her seemingly promiscuous friend Linda (Phoebe Cates) to be more bold. Stacy tries and isn’t really thrilled about it. There’s a nerdy dude named Mark Ratner (Brian Backer) who is interested in Stacy but is too shy to ask her out. His buddy, the concert-ticket-scalping-pseudo-suave-dilettante , Mike Damone (Robert Romanus) talks him into taking Stacy out to a local German restaurant. While there, Mark realizes he has forgotten his wallet and calls Damone to bring it to him. Stacy tries to seduce Mark but his shyness gets the best of him and he leaves, rendering Stacy a bit frustrated. Eventually, Damone moves in gets a little time with Stacy.

Jeff Spicoli (Penn in a role unlike anything else he ever did) is a stoner slacker who dreams of nothing but surfing the gnarly waves. He is also the prime nemesis of the dry and no-nonsense history teacher, Mr. Hand (Ray Walston). Spicoli breaks rules and is just a nuisance, but, I don’t think he means to be. I think he’s just a free spirit. This film is a culmination of their lives and more. What happens with them? You’ll have to watch to find out.

I defy any male aged 40-55 to hear the first few bars of “Moving in Stereo” by The Cars and not have fond memories. When I see The BCPF get into our bed, it reminds me of that and I hear that song. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, then you have to watch the film. The cameos in this film of folk that either were just on their way into acting or perhaps not necessarily known to the general public in 1982, were all fantastic. Names like Forest Whitaker, Eric Stoltz, Anthony Edwards, Nick Cage were all up-and-comers. Actors Taylor Negron and Vincent Schiavelli have both passed on but you’d recognize them in the film from other things. Another quick cameo is from Nancy Wilson of he band Heart. She’s the blonde in the car that flirts then laughs at Brad in his pirate costume. She’s in the film because her husband, Cameron Crowe wrote the book and the screenplay. She’s made a lot of cameos in his films over the years.

The acting in this film was typical early 80s. Good, but you could tell the folks were just getting going. It’s cheesy early 80s cinema at its best. The soundtrack is chock full of greatness, as well. Then again, it is a Cameron Crowe film. This one was directed by Amy Heckerling (European Vacation, Clueless, Look Who’s Talking, Johnny Dangerously and so on).

Rotten Tomatoes has it at 78% Fresh with an Audience Score of 80%. IMDb has it at 7.2 stars out of 10. It is only available via Netflix‘s DVD.com or renting or buying on DVD or digital on Amazon. I have it on DVD and we watched it with 3B. The swimming pool scene, he really enjoyed. I rate the film 4.25 out of 5. Have you seen it? What did you think? What would you like to read/hear me review?

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“All I need are some tasty waves, a cool buzz, and I’m fine.” – Jeff Spicoli

 

Young Frankenstein or: The Less Desirables Movie of the Week

17 Saturday Jun 2017

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Salutations™!!

a/perture cinema, the Official Movie Sponsor of The Less Desirables, presents The Less Desirables Movie of the Week, Young Frankenstein (1974), starring Gene Wilder, Terri Garr, Peter Boyle, Cloris Leachman and Marty Feldman.

Young_Frankenstein_movie_poster

©20th Century Fox

 

Per IMDb: “An American grandson of the infamous scientist, struggling to prove that he is not as insane as people believe, is invited to Transylvania, where he discovers the process that reanimates a dead body.”

Dr. Frederick Frahnk-in-steen (Wilder), trying to shake his grandfather’s ill-fated legacy, is a professor of medicine at an American university. He denounces the ability to revive dead cells and says his grandfather was a demented and sick man. A man shows up with the will of his great-grandfather that grants Freddy his entire Transylvanian estate, castle and all. He has to leave his annoying socialite fiance named Elizabeth (Madeline Kahn) who can’t kiss him, shake his hand or anything else goodbye, as she’s going to some uppity yuppy party after he gets on the train. Then oddly enough, he gets on a train to New York and when he changes trains he’s on a train to Transylvania.

He’s met by Marty Feldman’s Igor – pronounced Eye-gore – at the station who has a remarkable hump on his back that he seems to not notice. He takes him to a hay cart to drive Freddy to the castle. He meets Inga (Garr), his hired lab assistant. Arriving at the castle they meet the very scary Frau Blücher (Cloris Leachman) who, at the mere mention of her name sends the horses into a frenzy. Freddy wants to know where the secret library is and Frau Blücher says she knows nothing about that. He and Inga stumble into it a little later and that sets Freddy into a mode to improve his great-grandfather’s work.

They find a large man who was freshly hung. And Freddy sends Igor to get the brain of a genius. Well, something happens and Igor has to, instead, get an abnormal brain. That makes the creation a bit erratic and mostly uncontrollable. Do they get the monster under control? Does he wreak havoc on the town? You’ll have to watch to find out.

To me, this is the second funniest of the Mel Brooks films (after Blazing Saddles). It was co-written by both Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder. Wilder has a strange and “wilder” look the entire film like he’s about to lose it at any time. The fact that the film is shot in black and white creates a darker, drearier feel and adds to the ambiance. It’s a wild parody of classic horror films with Brooks’ good friends chipping in. Cloris Leachman is a hilarious witchy woman with a chip on her shoulder the entire time. Peter Boyle who plays the monster breaks the fourth wall a few times and it’s always very funny. Gene Hackman plays the old blind man who the monster encounters in the night. Mel Brooks, oddly enough only appears in makeup and as off-screen voices. He’s usually in the films more prominently.

Peter Boyle who plays the monster breaks the fourth wall a few times and it’s always very funny. Gene Hackman plays the old blind man who the monster encounters in the night. Mel Brooks, oddly enough only appears in makeup and as off-screen voices. He’s usually in the films more prominently. Turns out that most of the jokes were improvised, including Leachman’s “varm milk” and Ovaltine bit, as well as Feldman’s “hump.”

Rotten Tomatoes has it rated 93% Fresh with an Audience Score of 92%. Well deserved. IMDb has it at 8 stars out of 10. We watched it as part of the Mel Brooks collection that I have and 3B laughed throughout most of it. It is available on Netflix, however, so if you’ve not seen it, see it there. I rate it 4.5 stars out of 5. Have you seen it? What did you think? What would you like to read/hear me review?

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…”
Scorp out!

—
“For what we are about to see next, we must enter quietly into the realm of genius.” – Dr. Frederick Frankenstein

Say Anything… or: The Less Desirables Movie of the Week

10 Saturday Jun 2017

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a/perture cinema, the Official Movie Sponsor of The Less Desirables, presents The Less Desirables Movie of the Week, Say Anything… (1989), starring John Cusack, Ione Skye and John Mahoney.

Say_Anything

©20th Century Fox

 

Per IMDb: “A noble underachiever and a beautiful valedictorian fall in love the summer before she goes off to college.”

Lloyd Dobler (Cusack) starts obsessing over Diane Court (Skye) at their high school graduation. She’s the valedictorian, and most assume she’s “out of his league.” She has won a fellowship to attend school in England and her father, Jim (Mahoney), couldn’t be happier. Jim is the owner of a retirement home and is his daughter’s best friend, after the divorce from her mother. They have a good bit of money and that adds to the ways that Diane and Lloyd are different, although neither of them cares.

Jim is worried that Lloyd may be a detriment to Diane’s upcoming matriculation in England; afraid that she’ll want to stay home instead of going. The more the two teens get involved, the more Jim becomes less tolerant of Diane’s “freedoms.” It doesn’t help that the IRS is investigating Jim on fraud charges through the retirement home.  Do the crazy kids stay together? Do they break up? What happens with the IRS? You’ll have to watch to find out.

As usual, Joan Cusack plays in the film with her brother, John. She doesn’t give any Oscar-winning performances but that wasn’t what she set out to do, in this film. It was so strange seeing John Mahoney with dark hair and playing a role outside of Martin Crane, Frasier’s father in the television series. There are times when you don’t like him and I’m not used to that with him, either. There are times when you certainly do like him, though.

The BCPF thinks Ione Skye got the part because she’s pretty while I think she is an awful actress and looks like a horse. As the film went on it was like she learned to act. The acting was less atrocious from her the deeper the film went. Beyond that, I think that she and Cusack (who can act) actually had good screen chemistry.

Another Frasier cast member, Bebe Neuwirth (she played Frasier’s ex-wife, Lillith), made an appearance here, as well. Other cameos include Jeremy Piven, Chynna Phillips, Eric Stoltz and Lili Taylor.

Probably the most notable thing about this film is its soundtrack. One of the most famous scenes of teen-driven dramedies happens in this film: the iconic holding of the boombox playing “In Your Eyes” from Peter Gabriel (off my favorite album of all-time). Cusack reenacted that onstage at a Peter Gabriel show a few years ago. In addition to PG, the soundtrack included Nancy Wilson of Heart (her husband, Cameron Crowe wrote the film), Depeche Mode, The Replacements, Cheap Trick, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Living Colour and Joe Satriani. It’s a great soundtrack and the songs fit well in the film.

Overall, I think it was a decent film. Not my favorite of teen films but it was pretty good. Rotten Tomatoes has it at 98% Fresh with an Audience Score of 85%. IMDb has it at 7.4 stars out of 10. We rented it from Amazon Prime and I will rate it 4 stars out of 5. Have you seen it? What would you like to hear/read me review?

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“One question: are you here ’cause you need someone, or ’cause you need me?… Forget it, I don’t care.” – Lloyd Dobler

This is Spinal Tap or: The Less Desirables Movie of the Week

03 Saturday Jun 2017

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a/perture cinema, the Official Movie Sponsor of The Less Desirables, presents The Less Desirables Movie of the Week, This is Spinal Tap (1984), starring Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer and Rob Reiner.

Thisisspinaltapposter

©Embassy Pictures

Per IMDb: “Spinal Tap, one of England’s loudest bands, is chronicled by film director Marty DeBergi on what proves to be a fateful tour.”

The loud, aging, denying and washed up quintet, Spinal Tap, is releasing a new album called Smell the Glove and are wanting to put together a tour to support it. The band has been around since the 60s and their age is really starting to show; such is the evidence of how painfully out-of-touch they are.

The three main members, David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel and Derek Smalls are good song writers that show flash and glory, but their dwindling fan base, in conjunction with a terminal case of bad luck, bodes an impending demise for the classic rockers. Rockumentary director, Marty DeBergi captures the life and times, the good, the bad and the horrible on film, which follows the band from album pre-release to the ensuing tour.

Marty DeBergi is, of course, Rob Reiner, the director of the movie and the movie within the movie. Michael McKean (of Lavern & Shirley fame), Christopher Guest (the husband of Jamie Lee Curtis and the six-fingered Count Rugen from The Princess Bride), and Harry Shearer (about half the voices for The Simpsons) all wrote the songs, performed the songs and made the songs what they are: rocking, comedic genius.

I have known of bands that have gone through some craziness and even the ones I don’t know, I hear stories and we call them all Spinal Tap moments. The things that happen with this band are unreal and ridiculous. Getting lost in the bowels of an arena trying to get to the stage, stage props going awry being completely wrong, being second billing to a puppet show, or drummers spontaneously combusting. It’s too much. But… it’s all too fun, too.

There are great one-liners, iconic quotes and a plethora of pop culture right there in that 82 minutes. Most of the script was improved and the entire cast, including the cameos, did a great job delivering them. The cameos, themselves, are remarkable. Bruno Kirby, Howard Hesseman, Dana Carvey, Billy Crystal, Patrick Macnee, Fran Drescher and Paul Shaffer, just to name a few, is an amazing cast. Very good stuff. This is comedic, somewhat silly, but very clever film making. Hats off to the cast. It is awesome.

I knew nothing of the film when it came out and just saw something on HBO about it around 1985 or so. I didn’t know it was a parody and I didn’t know there were real actors playing characters here. When I got into playing music, someone said I had to watch it, so I did and I fell in love. I also have the soundtrack (“Smell the Glove”) on CD.

Rotten Tomatoes has it at 95% Fresh with an Audience score of 92%. Dang! IMDb has it at a solid 8 out of 10 stars. It is on Netflix, although we watched it on Blu-Ray with 3B, who I believe a lot of the humor went over his head. I love this film and give it 4.75 out of 5. Have you seen it? What did you think? What would you like to hear/read me review?

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“It’s like, how much more black could this be? and the answer is none. None more black.“ – Nigel Tufnel

Stand By Me or: The Less Desirables Movie of the Week

27 Saturday May 2017

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a/perture cinema, the Official Movie Sponsor of The Less Desirables, presents The Less Desirables Movies of the Week, Stand By Me (1986), starring Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman and Jerry O’Connell.

Stand_By_Me_1986_American_Theatrical_Release_Poster

©Columbia Pictures

 

Per IMDb: “After the death of a friend, a writer recounts a boyhood journey to find the body of a missing boy.”

The film starts with a writer (Richard Dreyfus) sitting in his car in the middle of a field with a confused, not-able-to-believe-it look on his face. He rereads a newspaper article about an attorney who was stabbed to death while trying to break up a fight in a fast food restaurant. This leads him to start telling a story of his childhood, his best friend, who was the attorney and two of their pals, who were a bit challenged in their own way.

The story is about Gordie (Wheaton), Chris (Phoenix), Teddy (Feldman) and Vern (O’Connell) and their trek to find the dead body of a boy their age that had been hit by a train and a county-wide search was going on to locate him. Turns out that Vern overheard his brother Billy (Casey Siemesko) and his fellow hoodlum Charlie Hogan (Gary Riley) say they found the body while ditching a stolen car. Vern knew the vicinity where the body was from the description his brother told. Billy and Charlie were part of a bigger gang involving Chris’ brother Eyeball (Bradley Gregg) and Ace Merrill played by a very young Keifer Sutherland. It was a race to find the body if anyone did.

Gordie’s brother Dennis had been killed in a car accident earlier that year and his parents had pretty much written him off. Chris’ whole family were pretty less desirable, except Chris, who tried his best to do the right thing and set the peace. Teddy’s dad was a former veteran who probably suffered from PTSD (although that wasn’t mentioned) and had a bit of a drinking problem. He held Teddy’s ear to a stove and burned it half off. His dad was in a mental institution. Vern was an overweight kid who was a bit of a screwup, but he was a lovable screwup. Any more and I’d be giving away all the good parts. Watch it for yourself.

I have stated before and I’ll state it again, I love films where adults are recounting their childhood with VO (voice overs) as the narrator. The Sandlot was another of those and Now and Then was another. This happened to be narrated by one of my favorite voices, Richard Dreyfus.  He didn’t step on the story too much. He actually allowed the younger actors to take charge and tell their story and each of them were fantastic in their roles. Wil Wheaton went on to play on Star Trek: The Next Generation, Corey Feldman was a staple in many late 80s films, especially alongside Cory Haim. Jerry O’Connell grew up to be a non-fat kid that is a pretty good actor and is now married to Rebecca Romijn. The tragedy, however, is River Phoenix who passed away from a drug overdose at the age of 23 just outside of Johnny Depp’s Rainbow Room Lounge in LA. Such talent that was snuffed out by fate and bad decisions.

This happens to be my second favorite film of all time, right behind another adaptation of a Stephen King work; you’ll have to wait for that one. The pie eating scene from one of Gordie’s stories is both gross and hilarious all at the same time. Rob Reiner did a fantastic job of directing this and the screenplay adaption was spot on with little divergence of the original work. Again, watch it.

Rotten Tomatoes has it at 91% Fresh with an Audience Score of 94%. Wow. IMDb has it at 8.1 stars out of 10. It’s only available via Netflix‘s DVD.com I have it on DVD and it was one that was watched with my son, 3B. I rate this film 5 stars out of 5. One, I think it’s worth that rating and two, it holds such a nostalgic place in my heart. The soundtrack is fantastic as well and I wore out a copy of it on cassette and now own it on CD. Have you seen it? What did you think? Do you agree or disagree with me? What would you like to read/hear me review?

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?” – The Writer

Good Morning Vietnam or: The Less Desirables Movie of the Week

20 Saturday May 2017

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a/perture cinema, the Official Movie Sponsor for The Less Desirables, presents The Less Desirables Movie of the Week, Good Morning Vietnam (1987), starring Robin Williams, Forest Whitaker.

Good_Morning,_Vietnam

©Touchstone Pictures

Per IMDb: “In 1965, an unorthodox and irreverent DJ named Adrian Cronauer begins to shake up things when he is assigned to the U.S. Armed Services radio station in Vietnam.”

The late, great Robin Williams stars as a wacky,  on-the-fly and humorous DJ, who’s also an airman, sent from Crete to Saigon to host two shows daily on the USAF radio station on an army base. Immediately, he meets resistance as his immediate supervisor, Lt. Hauk (Bruno Kirby) has control issues and lacks any kind of real humor or musical tastes, but thinks he’s abundant in each and his supervisor’s superior is Sgt. Major Dickerson (late J.T. Walsh) who just has a stick up his rear end wants to make life heck for Adrian.

Adrian’s liaison around town is Eddie Garlic (Whitaker) who is truly a lovable but awkward fellow. Eddie shows him where the G.I. bar is, some sights around town and is even his driver on assignments. While Eddie is driving, Adrian notices a pretty Vietnamese girl and wants to talk to her. She tells him to buzz off but Adrian is persistent. He follows her to a school that teaches English and bribes the instructor to let him teach the class. That allows him to get closer to the girl (Chintara Sukapatana). Her brother, Tuan (Tung Thanh Tran) tells him to keep his distance, but becomes Adrian’s friend after a while. 

Every piece of news that comes across the news wire must be censored by a pair of twins in order to be read on the air and that rubs Adrian the wrong way. It is also a point of contention between him and his superiors. I can tell you more, but I’d be giving away all the highlights. Does he get the girl? Does he make it out of Vietnam alive? You need to see it for yourself.

Robin Williams was phenomenal in this film. Almost all of his radio broadcasts were improvised and minimally scripted. The rest of the acting in the film was great, too. The locals who got the English right enough to speak, really had it down like it was real and not a movie. The scenery was vivid and beautiful, even the destruction and blowing up of stuff in the film was perfectly shot.

I had the soundtrack on cassette. In fact, I wore out the first copy and got a second. I now have it on CD and the film on DVD. It’s currently only available through Netflix‘s DVD.com or you can rent it from Amazon Prime for $3.99. If you subscribe to Cinemax though Amazon Channels, you can watch this for free. Rotten Tomatoes has it at 89% Fresh with an Audience Score of 82%. IMDb has it at 7.3 stars out of 10. We watched this with 3B, on DVD and I will rate it 4.25 stars out of 5. Have you seen it? What did you think? What would you like to read or hear me review?

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“The Mississippi River broke through a protective dike today. What is a protective dike? Is it a large woman that says ‘Don’t go near there! But Betty- Don’t go near there! Don’t go down by the river!’… No, we can’t say ‘dyke’ on the air, we can’t even say ‘lesbian’ anymore, it’s ‘women in comfortable shoes. Thank You.'” – Adrian Cronauer

The Secret Life of Pets or: The Less Desirables Movie of the Week

13 Saturday May 2017

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a/perture cinema, the Official Movie Sponsor of The Less Desirables, presents The Less Desirables Movie of the Week, The Secret Life of Pets (2016), starring Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet and Kevin Hart.

The_Secret_Life_of_Pets_poster

©Universal Pictures

Per IMDb: “The quiet life of a terrier named Max is upended when his owner takes in Duke, a stray whom Max instantly dislikes.”

Max (C.K.) lives in a Manhattan apartment with his owner, Katie (Ellie Kemper). They do everything together: they run, they play, they cuddle, they do everything together. Max is high cotton. He doesn’t like it, though when she has to go to work. He thinks she’s gone forever. Of course, she always comes back.

One day Katie comes home and has a HUGE surprise for Max. A very large stray named Duke (Stonestreet). Duke takes over and tries to establish dominance over Max, even though it’s “his house.” Max is told by one of his neighborhood friends, Chloe, an obese and apathetic house cat played by Lake Bell, that he needs to become tough and establish himself as the alpha of the house. That kind of works, at least for a few hours.

Max and Duke are walked by a service along with several other dogs, including a pug named Mel (Bobby Moynihan) and a dachshund named Buddy (Hannibal Buress). Max tries to assert himself and Duke tricks him into going into an old alley. There he’s assaulted by a whole clowder of cats led by the evil Sphynx cat named Ozone (Steve Coogan). They take his tags and collar. Duke comes running around the corner and Max is relieved that he came back. But Duke wasn’t coming to save him, he was running from the dogcatchers. With both dogs sans tags the catchers thought they were strays. They are captured and put into the dogwagon along with a muzzled bulldog.

They are rescued by a white rabbit named Snowball (Hart) who is the leader of the gang called “The Flushed Pets,” a group of animals discarded by their owners over time. When Ozone alerts Snowball that the two are domesticated they try to kill them, but they escape. Or do they? What happens with them? Do their friends help them? You’ll have to watch to find out.

We watched this with 3B, his choice, and thought it was a very cute film. I have always thought about what goes through the minds of animals when their owners go away during the day. I liked how they showed the habits of the animals. Chloe ate a lot of leftovers. Leonard, a large poodle, listens to classical music while his master is home and thrash metal when Master is out. Gidget, a white Pomeranian who has a major crush on Max (Jenny Slate) is a bouncy little git. The stereotypical behaviors of the animals are represented nicely here. The voice acting which also includes Albert Brooks and Dana Carvey is superb. Well, acted, well directed, well written.

Was it a great film? Nope. It was a funny and entertaining film, though. It think it was pretty cool. Rotten Tomatoes has it at 74% Fresh with an Audience score of 63%. IMDb has it at 6.6 stars out of 10. I saw it on Netflix and I’m going to rate it 3.75 stars out of 5. Have you seen it? What did you think? What would you like to hear/read me review? Let me know.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“I feel heroic! And handsome! I’m a little wet, but I still look good. I look good.” – Snowball

History of the World Part I or: The Less Desirables Movie of the Week

06 Saturday May 2017

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a/perture cinema, the Official Movie Sponsor of The Less Desirables, presents The Less Desirables Movie of the Week, History of the World, Part I (1981), starring Mel Brooks, Harvey Korman, Gregory Hines and Dom DeLuise. History_of_the_World_poster

Per IMDb: “Mel Brooks brings his one-of-a-kind comic touch to the history of mankind covering events from the Old Testament to the French Revolution in a series of episodic comedy vignettes.”

That IMDb description is mostly correct. It actually starts in the prehistoric times, predating even the Old Testament’s canonical timeline. It covers art, music, performance, Moses’ presentation of the Ten Commandments, the Roman Empire, the Spanish Inquisition and the French Revolution. Its comedic and decidedly Mel Brooks-take on “history” is exactly that. Comedic and decidedly Mel Brooks. Does that equate to hilarious like Blazing Saddles or Young Frankenstein? Not necessarily, although there are very funny parts. It’s not accurate, but it’s not meant to be. There are sprinklings of historical fact and comedic license throughout.

Mel Brooks, once again plays the roles of several characters: Moses, Comicus: the Stand-up Philospher, Tomas de Torquemada – the friar that was principal in the Inquisition, Louis XVI of France and Jacques “le Garçon de Pisse” or “piss boy.” He plays a part or three in most of his films but in this he was the “lead” in several of the sketches.

This was Gregory Hines’ first film role and he plays Josephus, a slave-boy entertainer who is positioned by Empress Nympho (Madeline Kahn) to be the wine servant after he was saved from death by Miriam, a Vestal Virgin played by Mary-Margaret Humes. He and Comicus get into some trouble in Emperor Nero’s (DeLuise) court.

Harvey Korman, a mainstay in Brooks’ films, plays Count de Monet (which everyone mispronounces de money – mispronouncing Korman’s characters is also a staple in Brooks’ films). De Monet is a aristocratic leach who convinces King Louis to let “Piss Boy” stand in for him as king as the revolution is starting to unfold.

Like many Mel Brooks films, this is chock-full of cameos. Bea Arthur, Shecky Greene, Sid Caesar, Dena Dietrich, Hugh Hefner and Howard Morris (Otis on The Andy Griffith Show). Also, like many of his films, there’s a good bit of fourth-wall breaking. And, really, Orson Welles as the narrator, that’s pretty good.

Not Brooks’ funniest film, at all, but he does take a funnier look at what could have been history. The previews of History of the World, Part II (which never happened, nor was it meant to) are some of the funniest parts. The take on the Busby Burkley musical, the chariot races, what I feel was a nod to Blazin’ Saddles and so on. The film tries really hard to make you laugh. I feel it tries too hard at times and the comedy is forced. But, it’s still worth watching. We introduced 3B to it as it was on my list of “films from my childhood.” He didn’t like it as much as Blazin’ Saddles, but he laughed a few times.

Rotten Tomatoes has it at 62% Fresh with and Audience score of 81%. IMDb has it rated at 6.8 stars out of 10. I own this in a Mel Brooks DVD collection and that’s where I saw it and you can, too, through Netflix‘s DVD.com. I will rate this film, mostly on nostalgic memories, 3.75 stars out of 5. Have you seen the film? What did you think? What would you like to read/hear me review? Let me know.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“I’m sorry, I’m on my wine break.” – Dole Office Clerk

The Jungle Book (2016) or: The Less Desirables Movie of the Week

29 Saturday Apr 2017

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Salutations™!!

a/perture cinema, the Official Movie Sponsor of The Less Desirables, presents The Less Desirables Movie of the Week, The Jungle Book (2016), starring Idris Elba, Ben Kingsley and Bill Murray.

The_Jungle_Book_(2016)

©2016 Walt Disney Pictures

Per IMDb: “After a threat from the tiger Shere Khan forces him to flee the jungle, a man-cub named Mowgli embarks on a journey of self discovery with the help of panther, Bagheera, and free spirited bear, Baloo.”

Mowgli (Neel Sathi) has been raised by Alpha female wolf named Raksha (Lapita Nyong’o) since he was a toddler. There has been a pact between all the animals that they could gather at a certain waterhole, the remnants of the wet season during a drought, without fear or danger of violence. Akela, the Alpha male of the wolf pack (Giancarlo Esposito), gets annoyed with Mowgli for his use of human tricks, like making tools and so on, and wants him to only act like the rest of the pack.

Suddenly, a large, mean, scarred tiger named Shere Khan (Idris Elba) shows up and senses something foul. He smells a human (we find out later that Mowgli’s human father scarred Shere Khan with fire) and wants him dead. Akela and Raksha refuse to hand him over so Shere Khan tells them that when the rains come, the truce between the animals will be over and he will come and take the man cub anyway. Later, the rains come and the pack decide to send Mowgli to the man village but Raksha refuses. Mowgli senses he’s endangering the pack and other animals so he decides to go. Bagheera the black panther who brought Mowgli to Raksha says he’ll escort Mowgli back to the village. Along the way, Shere Khan attacks but Bagheera fends him off long enough for Mowgli to get in the middle of a wildebeest herd that keeps him safe from Shere Khan but not necessarily safe from harm. The wildebeest herd is caught in a landslide from the rains and ends up in a raging river. He ends up safe and finds some food.

While chasing some thieving monkeys that stole some food, he encounters a very large python named Kaa (Scarlet Johansson). She hypnotizes Mowgli and tells him (and us) his story. She has him in her grips and is about to eat him when a large sloth bear named Baloo (Murray) shows up and saves him. It turns out Baloo needs him to do some chores for him, you know, as payback for saving his life. I’m leaving the rest of the story for you to watch yourself. I will say though, that Christopher Walken as King Louie is pretty cool. He’s more eerie than in the 1967 version. Dark, like Colonel Kurtz from Apocalypse Now!, especially in that old temple and in the shadows.

This film is far superior to the 1967 animated version, but that version still has a place in my heart, as I am a Disney freak. That being said, the effects in this film are nearly flawless and stays true to the animated version. Even though it is CGI, it doesn’t look like it and after the first bit, you start thinking these animals are really talking and doing what they’re doing in the film.

I don’t think that Neel Sethi had ever played in anything before and he was quite the actor. To be able to act like that in a CGI Green Screen world is amazing. He had to take parkour lessons to be able to move about like that. Idris Elba plays Shere Khan perfectly. His voice is awesome and it comes across here as deep and menacing. Same with Ben Kingsley. Kingsley’s voice is deeper and he sounds like a wise mentor, which fits his character. Bill Murray as Baloo brings his comedic abilities to the forefront as only a Bill Murray could do. The film is dedicated to Garry Shandling, who voices Ikki, an Indian crested porcupine. Shandling passed away after recording his parts and before the film was released.

Rotten Tomatoes rates the film 95% Fresh with an Audience score of 87%. IMDb has it at 7.5 stars out of 10. I watched the film on Netflix and I am so glad I did. I rate it 4.5 stars out of 5. Have you seen it? What did you think? What would you like to read/hear me review?

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“I could get used to this.” – Baloo

Toys or: The Less Desirables Movie of the Week

15 Saturday Apr 2017

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Salutations™!!

a/perture cinema, the Official Movie Sponsor of The Less Desirables, presents The Less Desirables Movie of the Week, Toys (1992), starring Robin Williams, Michael Gambon, LL Cool J and Joan Cusack.Toys_poster

Per IMDb: “When a military general inherits a toy making company and begins making war toys, his employees band together to stop him before he ruins the name of Zevo Toys forever.”

Kenneth Zevo is dying. He has two children Alsatia (Cusack) and Leslie (Williams) who have basically “grown up” in the toy factory that Kenneth has spent his life making. The workers are happy, the facility is a happy place, all is well. As Kenneth is about to leave the Earth, he asks his 3-star general brother, General Leland Zevo (Gambon) to take over the company. Leland is apprehensive. He’s serious and “Kenny” is a fun-loving free spirit who made a fortune making toys. Why not give the company to his children? Kenneth thinks they’re too childish to run a business.

Leland, desperate to win the approval of his elderly father, who was a 4-star general and played by Jack Warden, and seeks said approval in taking over Kenneth’s company. The old man tells him to make up his own mind. He takes over the company and is bored out of his mind until he hears that there’s a leak in toy designs. That sends him back into full military mode. He decides he wants to find the leak and enlists the help of his military son, Patrick (LL Cool J). In that Leland decides to start making miniature war toys to be sold to the government. Leslie is dead set against the idea because he knows his father would have also been against it. Leland says he won’t make any but can he have a tiny bit of space to make is own toys? Does he get it? Does he make war toys? You’ll have to watch to find out.

I saw this film when I was about 21 in the theater. I liked the fantasy and whimsy of it. I have to say that watching it now some 25 years later, it has lost a good bit of that luster. There’s good and bad here. The good: the cast, the scenery (mostly sound stages but great nonetheless), the ambition. The bad: the story line is dated and weak for even 1992, no direction, lack of actual comedy. With this cast, Williams is kind of sedate and even when he’s breaking loose he’s almost forcing the character to come out. Michael Gambon is a long way from his role in The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover previously and as the second Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter series. He was unrecognizable but he was good. LL Cool J was pretty good. I think the real star here is Joan Cusack; she played the best part. But, while the film was funny in parts, it was, like Williams’ portrayal, forced and a bit weak.

I was disappointed in the overall film as it wasn’t what I remembered it to be, but there was still a nostalgia that was keeping me watching. I just wanted to see it, I guess. Rotten Tomatoes has it at a lowly 26% Rotten, with an audience score of a slightly better 39%. IMDb has it at 5 stars out of 10; exactly 50%. I saw this on Netflix and, sadly, I have to rate it only a straight up 3.0 out of 5 which on a scale from 0-5 would also be right down the middle. Have you seen it? What did you think? What would you like to read/hear me review? Let me know.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“We’re going to fight fire with marshmallows.” – Leslie Zevo